Monday, May 26, 2014

American Made Brand Blog Tour - Day 6 and my day

The email asking if I'd be interested in participating in this blog tour arrived the day before I headed to MQX East last month and to tell you that I was thrilled is a huge understatement. Thank you so much goes out to Clothworks for this opportunity.

Once I got back from MQX a stack of pieces of each of these gorgeous solid fabrics awaited me.

I really love the theme behind the brand...A Farm to Fabric Movement which means that every part of the process of producing this fabric happens here in the USA. That is definitely something worth celebrating.

The fabrics are just wonderful to work with. The colors are vibrant, the feel is great and they unravel very little compared to some other solid fabrics I've worked with in the past.

I had a long list of ideas of things to include in my New York block but eventually narrowed it down to four icons that I believe represent my state well. Here is my New York license plate block.

A New York Beauty block was one of the 1st ideas I came up with and truth be told, this is the very 1st paper piecing I've ever done, aside from my 2 practice pieces that is. I used the colors of Light Aqua, Aqua and Dark Aqua to represent the water that is such a big part of this state... from the Hudson River to the ocean surrounding Long Island to the Finger Lakes upstate and Niagara Falls, just to name a few.

The horse (also my 1st try at applique) represents all the horse breeding farms and racing history here. Not only does New York have Aqueduct and Belmont Park but it has the famous Saratoga Race Course which this year will be celebrating it's 151st season.

The Rose is the state flower and I decided to create it with counted cross stitch using the Light Pink fabric as the base. I left out those areas of the cross stitch pattern where the floss matched the fabric and just let the fabric shine through.

And of course I had to include an apple. You may thing that it represents the Big Apple New York City and while it does, more so it represents New York's apple growing industry. We are the 2nd largest apple producing state averaging almost 30 million bushels of apples grown on over 50,000 acres across the state each year.

So I hope you like my New York license plate block and have learned a little about this state that I have called home for most of my life. To celebrate this blog tour American Made Brand is donating one 8 piece FQ bundle for each blogger to giveaway and I'm offering a 2nd giveaway for a 6 inch stack of squares of these American Made Brand fabrics.

For your chance to win, leave me a comment telling me which variety of apple is your favorite.

My followers get a 2nd chance to win, just tell me how you follow.

Are you a No Reply Blogger? If you never get replies to the comments you leave on people's blogs then yes you most likely are. Just make sure you leave your email address so that I can get in touch should you win.

Great block Michele and nice how you incorporated everything......I like golden delicious, but really I LOVE granny smith (from the old days) don't like the skin, but love the tartness, that it's so tart/sour that you feel it in your ears! we have 4 apple trees btw newly planted last fall, think we'll maybe get 5 apples total this year, we'll see.

1 love Gala apples and granny smith apples. New York Beauty was also my 1st paper piecing and the first thing that comes to my mind when I think of New York. I follow your blog on bloglovin. I look forward to seeing all the blogs everyday. Paulacox7198@yahoo.com

A perfect plate for a wonderful state. I recently visited the Finger lakes area! Ohhhh the wineries! It was fabulous! Almost as fabulous as this new American Made fabric! I am so excited to have things produced right here in the good ole USA again!

I love Fuji apples the best. But apples in salads and pies are just the greatest. I love New York. Thank you for being a part of the AMB Blog Tour and sharing the history with us. This has been a lot of fun as well as educational. Your giveaway is one that we all want to win.

Honeycrisp apples are my favorite, especially eaten with peanut butter. The New York Beauty is one of my favorite blocks to view, because it reminds me of my parents' parents' first view of the Statue of Liberty at the end of their journeys that ended at Ellis Island early in the 20th Century.

I enjoy Macoun and Cortlands fresh from the orchard. Granny Smiths are nice substitutes the rest of the year. I love your block and that you tried paper-piecing so you could include the NYBeauty one of my favorite blocks. I'm "Vermont" on the AMB Tour. marsha(dot)hodgkins(at)yahoo.comQuilterinMotion

You may not believe this, but I hate apples! It's the crunch that gets me - just like some people can't stand scratching on a chalkboard - that doesn't bother me! but apples? I have to walk away if someone is eating one. Great representation in your block - thanks for sharing.

I did not realize that NY was such a big apple producer! I'll be visiting a fellow blogger in the Finger Lakes area next weekend. I just discovered a new apple this year - Pinata. Yummmmyyyy! I cut up an apple and eat it in my oatmeal every day at work.

I don't have a favorite apple. I am looking for a good one for apple pie and other baking items. I have tried Granny Smith and few others, but they just aren't that flavorful to say "OH I love that apple pie!" Appreciate any suggestions!Cheriquiltingnanny at yahoo dot com

Love your block and your state. Every year we go through on vacation and always spend at least four days wandering around the smaller towns. My favorite apple is the Braeburn, love it's taste but it's hard to find here in Missouri.

Hi Michelle, I'm thrilled to see your license plate block. I'm impressed that you thought to cross stitch the rose and then applique it on. Very inventive! Your block is beautiful. The New York Beauty has me thinking of the Statue of Liberty and wondering if the idea came from her headpiece. Hope to see you on Friday for the Louisiana block debut. (I'm getting a little nervous.)

My favorite apples are Gala. I actually never knew there were so many varieties of apples until I visited my friend in Ohio in the fall. I was amazed. In Florida we only get about 6 varieties. It was fun to try new apples.

I love Jonathan apples because they are great both for eating fresh and for cooking. I'm learning so many interesting things on this blog tour. I had no idea New York was such a dominant apple producer. Thanks for sharing.

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